The Illusiat Complete RPG Series
Posted by Ryan on 3 September 2013, 02:50 GMT
I can't lie: This update has been in the making for around 10 weeks (or years, depending on who you talk to). I
have saved, rewritten, deleted, and
rewritten again this very article around six times. I just can't seem to adequately articulate everything it is
that I
would like to say. There's a lot of emotion lurking around this article, positive and negative alike, involving a
lot of people, and it can be difficult to pretend that it isn't there. However, considering that this past weekend
saw the 12th birthday of Omnimaga, there is really no better time than now for me to
buckle down, do what has been a long time coming, and dust my hands off.
Not too long ago, the ticalc.org archives were graced with the release of the Illusiat Complete RPG Series. What
could possibly be said that could do this series justice?
Taken as a whole, the Illusiat series really is a triumph that extends beyond the usual calc bantor, the usual
enthusiam, the usual... well, everything. Throughout the series, you see the growth and perseverence of the developer, the continued growth of a
community (imperfections and all), and everything that makes programming, broadly defined, a true passion. Plus, it
certainly doesn't hurt that Kevin "DJ
Omnimaga" Ouellet is a genuinely nice, thoughtful, and talented guy.
The Illusiat series really pushes TI-BASIC to its limits, pulling out every possible trick to deliver innovative
artistic and graphical techniques, often of jaw-dropping quality. While somehow managing to do all of this, the
games span subgenres and presentation styles, constantly bringing something new to the fold. On top of all of that,
they're really just flat-out engrossing, fun games. It is absolutely no surprise that the series has served as an
inspiration to many--a-coders. What's more, the entire Illusiat series is really only one masterpiece of many.
What can I say? Over a decade later, I still get floored by the sheer ingenuity that went into the coding of
these games. If you're relatively new to the calc scene, if you missed out on Illusiat in the past, or if you just
want to pick up and have a go at a classic, look no further. I can promise you that you'll be hard-pressed to do
better.
